Zodiac Academy Volume 9 retells the Volume 1 story The Awakening from the point of view of the boys.
IMHO this volume provided valuable information that was missing from Volume 1, which is written in a braided narrative with alternating chapters from Tory’s and Darcy’s POVs.
But was it really necessary to write a whole separate volume??
How much better things would have been in Volume 1 if these male POVS had been interwoven with the female. We would have understood much more clearly why Darius ~ out of desperation to save his much-loved brother from his father’s wrath ~ nearly murdered Tory, We might even have understood Seth’s monstrous behavior if we’d known how his Mom threatened him with (to his mind) severe punishment.
Which brings me to the character of Seth. Of course character transformation is a great thing to have, especially in a series. But Seth’s character transformation is one of the most unconvincing I’ve ever seen. How can that cruel, sadistic, manipulative monster of Volume 1 become the cuddly wolf-doggy of the later volumes? It simply doesn’t make sense.
Of all the terrible things that happen to the twins, Seth’s behavior remains the worst. How would you feel if you were the new girl, and you were romanced by a charming, gorgeous-looking boy, who then assaults you one night is such a brutal way that you’re left with some bare scalp showing?
And he is so not sorry about it. Of course, he had to do it to please his Mom and because otherwise she would ban him from the family Moon Walk.
After that behavior, I hated Seth with a vengeance and never altered my opinion. I was really sickened by the way the authors allowed him to slide right back into their good grace, making a cuddle-pack for his selfish self out of the heirs and Vegas.
Three stars.
